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Ever since the realCitrus Swirl came home to roost a few years ago, we can’t get enough. We were never fans of that Orange Sherbet concoction that masqueraded as Citrus Swirl for a while.

And today, this fan favorite treat is the star of our latest DFB Video!

Citrus Swirl

Swirls of icey cold frozen Orange Juice yum, plus Vanilla Soft Serve. Sigh. I’m so ready for another one of these right now. It’s the perfect treat to enjoy on a sunshiney Florida day. And it’s the very next way we’re bringing you the best food that Disney has to offer via our new DFB Channel on YouTube. [Read more…]

Soft Serve at Paradise Pier

What makes a Soft Serve Ice Cream Cone even more delish? How about enjoying it with an awesome background, like Paradise Pier! I can almost feel that beautiful California sunshine coming through the pic, can’t you??

But its real claim to fame is the snack of legendary proportions that’s recently been restored to its former glory — the Citrus Swirl! And even though we’ve talked about it before…it’s about time to revisit this classic!

Atmosphere

For all the talk about Disney history, this is the real deal. Sunshine Tree Terrace has been a staple of Magic Kingdom since the very first day the park was opened.

Sunshine Tree Terrace at Magic Kingdom

Originally, the spot served as a showcase for one of Adventureland’s biggest sponsors, Florida Citrus Growers (FCG). This was a great spot to get a refreshing glass of orange juice and other treats featuring the flavors of Florida.

Florida Citrus Growers’ Orange Bird

Sunshine Tree Terrace was also the home of the Orange Bird. This little guy, created by Disney, became the mascot for FCG and was used in promotions, both inside and outside the park. And guests young and old were delighted to pose for pics with the Orange Bird at a character meet and greet!

Due to a very vocal Disney fan base, the Orange Bird, who had disappeared from this spot in the mid-80s, has now come home to roost once again!

We’ve shared with you our review of their breakfast buffet. But today, we’re heading there to see what’s new for dinner!

When many people think about a “Disney character dining experience”, they immediately think of Chef Mickey’s. This one has it all — the Fab Five, a sprawling buffet of family-friendly foods, regular raucous celebrations, and monorails whizzing by.

But in the past, the food has had a reputation for being a little lackluster. Time to see how things are looking these days… . We have a lot to cover, so let’s get started!

Atmosphere

One of the coolest things about Chef Mickey’s is its location. You’ll find this well-known character meal at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Chef Mickey's Sign

This place is a stone’s throw from the Magic Kingdom in Disney World, which makes it a great place to stop and eat before heading into the park, or after a long day of rides and attractions.

Once you enter the hotel’s main floor lobby, take the elevator to the fourth floor. Chef Mickey’s is located on the south end of the concourse, right below where the Disney World monorail enters the building. (You can also arrive at the Contemporary via said monorail, of course — in which case you’d take an escalator down to the 4th floor).

The Grand Canyon Concourse at the Contemporary

Head to the central desk to let the hostess know that your party has arrived. You can’t miss it — Mickey is smiling down with his fork and spoon, ready to greet you!

Central Desk Check-In

If your table isn’t quite ready, you can wait until your party is paged in this comfortable seating area. This spot features a view of Bay Lake and the resort’s pool patio — and offers plenty of room for running off excess energy.

We recently shared some of our favorite Disney food kiosks, and this was definitely one of the contenders! There is so much culinary awesomeness these days in Epcot’s France Pavilion.

There are, of course, the table service restaurants — the bistro-esque Chefs de France and the more upscale Monsieur Paul. And no trip through this part of World Showcase is complete without at least one stop by Les Halles, the new boulangerie patisserie in the back of the pavilion.

And now that the long-awaited L’Artisan des Glaces is open in the former bakery space, the offerings are pretty robust. You can find something for every meal of the day here!

But, if you can believe it, there are even more fun food finds awaiting you along the main thoroughfare within the dark green kiosks of France.

Here, you can get grown up slushies, Champagne, and one of my favorite French street foods, Crêpes!

Disney World Crêpes

The très thin, tender, pancake-like creations are available here in some traditional flavors. But there are also some fun and super indulgent twists, like crêpes and ice cream.

That’s the treat we were after today…

The Creperie -- Crepe Stand in Epcot's France Pavilion

If you need a beverage, you’ll also find some espresso drinks here as well as, well, beer. Because everyone knows what a perfect pairing crêpes and beer are.

Menu -- Click to Enlarge

One of the best part of this little kiosk is that you get a show while you wait! Inside the stand, you can see the crêpe griddle, where the thin batter is ladled and worked to form the basis for your treat. A container of Strawberry Preserves stands at the ready for saucing.

Crêpe Griddle with Batter and Strawberry Preserves

A while back, we made a stop here and just happened to capture the complete crêpe-making process from start to finish.

I was SO excited to try this new Breakfast Cone at Disney California Adventure’s Cozy Cone Motel, and I can’t wait to tell you about it!

This super-themed snack stop comes to you straight from the animated feature Cars, and it figures prominently into the landscape of the park’s newest area, Cars Land.

Cozy Cone Sign

I headed over to the popular spot one sunny morning to try out something we hadn’t seen here on Disney Food Blog firsthand yet — the Breakfast Cones! Time to see if they lived up to my expectations!

Atmosphere

If you are a fan of the Disney Pixar film Cars, then you are going to love Cars Land. Everywhere you turn, you feel like you’ve wandered into the movie. And nowhere is that more apparent than at the Cozy Cone Motel.

And look! Mater is parked out front of the office, waiting for Sally! (And check out the taillight coneflowers in the garden. )

The Cozy Cone Motel in Disney California Adventure Cars Land

Have a peek through the windows to look around the office before moving on. You’ll see lots of thoughtful details from the movie, and you’ll even catch a glimpse of another Pixar hero — Buzz Lightyear — peeking from under a pylon.

Buzz Lightyear Peeking Out From Below a Cone

Beyond the front office building, where guest cars would check in to the motel in the movie, you find the various cones, which serve as rooms for tired travelers heading down Route 66. In Cars Land, rather than providing lodging, the cones serve snacks!

The different cones feature different snacks. Head to Cone #1 for [Read more…]

What’s that trailer that you just spied as you’re about to hop onto Rock’n Roller Coaster? A radio station, ready to give you your big break?

Nah, it’s KRNR the Rock Station! Well, actually, it’s a food trailer with a really cool theme. (Can you spot the Hidden Mickey in the sign?)

KRNR The ROCK Station Foodtruck

Those of you who have ridden Rock n Roller Coaster, Starring Aerosmith, have heard the KRNR radio announcer loud and clear, so it’s a great themeing element in the RnRC “plaza.” And this is a great stop if you’re looking for some food on the go.

There arehot dogs and chips if you’re hungry, but the real story here are the frosty treats. KRNR has a full line of soft serve options, including waffle cones in vanilla, chocolate, or swirl. You can also get Coke Floats or Barq’s root beer floats. And there’s that guest favorite, Minute Maid frozen lemonade as well! Fruit smoothies made with nonfat yogurt are a slightly healthier option.

Menu -- Click to Enlarge

There’s an assortment of bottled drinks, including juices.

Bottled Drinks in Cooler

There are also a few varieties of chips if you’re looking for a side for your hot dog, or if you just need a salt fix.

When you find yourself in the middle of Disney’s Hollywood Studios in need of something cold and creamy and delicious, I’m going to give you some odd advice: look for the big, green dinosaur.

Gertie's Head as She Chomps on Leaves

There, among the jungle trees, you’ll see a gentle giant, chomping on vegetation. And you know you’re in for a treat. (If Gertie’s is open for business, that is.)

Gertie's, Open for Business!

If you’re lucky, Gertie’s Ice Cream of Extinctionwill be open, and serving up wonderful spirals of chocolate and vanilla (or swirled!) soft serve in cups and cones, both sugar and waffle. You’ll also find some of your favorite premium ice cream bars, as well as other snacks, like fresh fruit and trail mix.

Menu -- Click to Enlarge

But the best part about Gertie’s isn’t the ice cream. You can get that anywhere. What’s awesome about this place is the animation history you can encounter!!

With multiple trips to Walt Disney World in recent weeks, I had lots of new stuff to check out. But even while trying the new Pork Shank, Croque Monsieur, and new cupcakes in the Magic Kingdom, I knew I had to make room for a classic!

And really…is there a better way to start out a brand new year than with a Dole Whip?

The float version of the treat with pineapple soft serve and pineapple juice honestly has been one of my favorite treats since I started visiting Disney World as a kid!